With the recent advent of Internet telephony services, many types of information, including voice, data and short messages can be transferred over existing telephone lines in a cost effective and efficient manner. Internet telephony services utilize the Internet, which is based on the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP protocol), which was developed as a standard protocol to allow different types of computers to exchange electronic mail and other files over a network. The TCP/IP Protocol specifies the addressing of nodes on the Internet and a provides a method of sending packets of data from one node to another. The TCP or Transmission Control Protocol is an application implemented on top of the Internet Protocol to provide reliable delivery of the data packets.
With reference now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, in order to place a call to a called party 150 using Internet telephony services, the calling party, while connected to the Internet 120, can dial a special number on a computer 100 or laptop, which includes the called party number 115, in order to route the call to a Gatekeeper 110 for the Internet 120 serving the area 105 that the calling party 100 is located in. This originating Gatekeeper 110 can then convert the called party number 115 into an IP address 125, and route the call through the Internet 120, using the TCP/IP protocol, to another remote Gatekeeper 130 on the other end serving the area 155 that the called party 150 is located in. This remote Gatekeeper can route the call through the Internet 120 back into either the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 140 or the Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), the former being illustrated, which can convert the IP address 125 back into the called number 115 associated with the called party 150 and connect the call to the called party 150.
Advantageously, by utilizing the Internet 120 to send voice and data messages, information can be transferred substantially simultaneously in a paper-less environment. In addition, if the calling party 100 is sending a data message to the called party 150, many Internet Service Providers (ISPS) (not shown) provide electronic mail (E-mail) addresses to their customers for storage and retrieval of data messages. However, the vast resources made available by the Internet 120 have not been fully explored by consumers and merchants.
For example, when a consumer makes a purchase with a credit card, the consumer receives the bill for the purchase once every month. However, the bill usually does not contain the itemized distribution of the purchase. Instead, itemized distribution is typically only given in a paper receipt to the consumer after the purchase is made and after the consumer has signed the credit card receipt. In addition, if the transaction is handled by cash or other means of purchase, e.g., by check, a paper receipt including the details of the purchase is typically given to the consumer only at the time of payment.
Thus, if there is any misuse of the consumers credit cards or checks, the consumer usually only has knowledge of the misuses at the end of the month or other billing cycle when the credit card bill or bank statement arrives from the financial institution. Therefore, by the time the credit card bill arrives, it is too late to protect against any fraud or misuse. In addition, when the consumer receives the detailed receipt at the time of purchase, the consumer typically does not have the time to verify the price, quantity, and other purchase information until after the consumer has left the store. Furthermore, if the paper receipt is lost, it can be difficult for the consumer to return the merchandise for a refund or dispute the charges.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide substantially immediate purchase information to consumers in a paper-less environment.
It is a further object of the present invention to allow a consumer to indicate at the time of purchase whether the consumer desires an electronic receipt.
It is still a further object of the present invention to send an electronic receipt to a consumer's transport address for storage and retrieval by the consumer either immediately upon receipt of the e-mail containing the electronic receipt or at a later time.
It is still a further object of the present invention to send an electronic receipt to a consumer's mobile telephone through a short message system for storage and retrieval by the consumer either immediately upon receipt of the electronic receipt or at a later time.